I hope you are staying warm wherever you are! It’s nippy and gray even here in N.C.
Welcome!
I want to give a sincere and warm welcome to those of you who recently joined my Kyle Hunter corner following a Blog Tour that featured my book, A Promise in Provence. The book was showcased on several Christian fiction websites. I’m so glad you’re here! I’m guessing you’re a distinguished reader who appreciates a good, inspiring book about imperfect characters with big dreams (and things to learn.) And a side trip to Provence or Florence never hurts!
We can’t travel much yet, except from our reading chairs, so let’s do that! (For those who have read one or more of my books, you know that the characters rarely stay in one place!) I hope you were encouraged and inspired by Lauren’s story, how she overcame some pretty heavy obstacles inside her own heart. Both books, Prodigals in Provence and A Promise in Provence are available in paper, eBook, and as a 2-book boxset eBook (Love in Provence Boxset). That’ll keep your heart in Provence while your body is wishing away the month of January!
Balance for the Year Ahead
Recently, I was reading a small book called, Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build your routine, find your focus & sharpen your creative mind. Yes, that’s the whole title and subtitle. It contains short articles by a number of thinkers/writers in different disciplines. I often have aha moments when I read it. One particular day, I got several and decided they were good focal points for the coming year.
My takeaways
- Conscious balance: sometimes I stop and it hits me, my balance is off. I’m lacking time with friends, exercise, margin. I can usually tell because I don’t feel peaceful. I’m working too much or I’m alone too often (thanks a bunch, Covid!) So, consciously, I stop, reflect, and deliberately reset. Recalibrate. Reorganize. Realize that life should not be spinning quite so fast.
- Getting unplugged: This is challenging in our day. Since working completely at home, I have trouble getting away from the Machine. My laptop, of course. And the phone. I’m not often sucked in by social media or TV, but chirps from the phone keep me half-distracted. One contributor in the book suggested a “Sabbath” from electronics, including the TV. She and her husband follow the timing of the Jewish Sabbath from Friday evening and all of Saturday. She said this simple decision has changed their lives. You could do the Christian Sabbath. I may try a day or even a half-day. Care to join me?
- Taking time to reflect: This means I leave a small gap between two activities to be still physically, still my mind, my breathing, and zoom out on my life. Reconnect with God, if I’ve zoned off in the last hour or so. Observe sights, smells, pleasures. Recentering. I do this several times a day and the hamster wheel loses momentum.
- This wasn’t mentioned in the book, but I want to think of all that I do as a partnership with God. Of course, he’s the power source, but it’s just a reminder that I’m NOT the power source, just the boots-on-the-ground girl. Instead of feeling alone in front of a challenge, I need to always remember that he’s my co-worker, my boss, my mentor. And my cheerleader.
As we sink our feet further into this new year, I want to challenge us all to dream. Feel free to dream and let God into your dreams. I remember a poster in a café with an anonymous saying I love: It costs nothing to dream. It may cost everything not to.
And plans. It’s okay to plan. Dreams can direct plans and plans can achieve dreams, can’t they? My plans for this year include finishing the Second Chance Series (Sydney’s and Eden’s stories) and getting the Provence series on audio.
- What are your dreams?
- What plans in 2021 will get you that much closer?
- What’s holding you back?
Feel free to comment or share what’s on your heart for the coming year! And we’ll dream through it together!
Note: Many of my links go to Amazon, but my books are also available on other storefronts, such as Apple, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble. I’ll include those links as soon as I can!
Curl up and read!